30free

DRAMA
GAMES &
ACTIVITIES

for Pre-
Kindergarten to
Grade 2
 Mrs. B’s
DRAMA TRUNK

31 DRAMA GAMES +
ACTIVITIES
For Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 2

3 NOSES
A fun physical Students walk around the room. Teacher shouts out “3 noses” and the
warm up, students must form groups with 3 touching noses. Call out different things
promoting for students to create groups with.
group
cooperation Examples (you can add in left or right to these also i.e. 10 left thumbs)
• 5 belly buttons
• 4 big toes
• 10 thumbs
• 3 ears
• 3 knees
• 4 elbows
• 2 cheeks

7 UP
A warm up to In a circle, everyone counts to 7 while waving one arm up and down to the
get students
loosened up. same rhythm as the counting. When the group reaches 7, do the same thing
with the other arm, both legs, head and ankles (or whatever part of the body
Useful for play you want to warm up – make sure if you do the head, it is carefully). After
rehearsals the group has finished their sets of 7, do them all again, counting up to 6,
then 5 and so on until the set is down to 1, 1, 1, 1, 1.

Drama Trunk Page 1

 ALIEN, TIGER, COW
Warm up game In a circle, teach and practice 3 actions/sounds
encouraging
the whole class ALIEN: index fingers on head (like antenna’s) and say “bleep bleep”
to work TIGER: right hand forward making a clawing action and “roar”
together and COW: hands on stomach with 2 fingers pointing out (like an udder), leaning
build forward and saying “moo”
awareness of
everyone else On the teacher’s cue, each student decides to become 1 of the 3 (either an
in the class alien, tiger or cow). The group with the least number of students is out and
must sit in the middle of the circle (e.g. 10 aliens, 7 tigers and 5 cows – the
cows would be out).
Variation: Also in a circle, the objective is for everyone to become the same
thing at the same time. On the teacher’s cue, students become either an
alien, tiger or cow. Keep practicing until everyone is in sync – this won’t
happen straight away.

ALPHABET CIRCLE
A good game In a circle, students try to get to the end of the alphabet. The teacher starts
for
concentration by “throwing” an “A” to a student. To begin with the letter should
and practicing accompany a throwing/pointing action. The student then throws a “B” to
ABC’s at the someone else and so forth until the group reaches “Z”. Try to go as fast as
same time possible

• Split the group into 2 teams and have a competition to see who can get
to the end of the alphabet first
• You can use a ball for this activity but pointing should be sufficient
• For more advanced classes, remove the throwing/pointing action and
have students throw the letters with “eye contact” only
• You can switch the alphabet for numbers and see what you can count up
to.

ANIMAL MATCH
Use drama skills Secretly give every student an animal, making sure there are at least 2 of
to act out each animal type. Direct students to act out a number of activities as their
animals and animal and to try and find other animals of their same kind.
find matching
pairs Example animal activities:
• Catching / eating dinner
• Playing
• Fighting
• Sleeping
• Walking / running
• Grooming

Drama Trunk ‘Free Drama Games and Activities for Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 2’ Page 2
 Check out Drama Trunk DRAMA ANIMALS for more animal
themed drama activities and drama cards

APPLE, APPLE, APPLE

Technically not Students sit in a circle and the teacher allocates each child the name of a fruit
a drama game
but a good (more than one student can be the same fruit and the teacher may write the
warm up and fruits on the board to begin with. Use as many fruit types as you like).
concentration
game One student stands in the middle of the circle and calls out the name of 1
fruit 3 times (e.g. “apple apple apple”). The students who are that type of
fruit must shout out “APPLE” once before the student in the middle calls out
the fruit type 3 times. If the students successfully interrupt the person in the
middle before the person in the middle has finished saying “apple apple
apple”, they stay where they are and the person in the middle must say a
new fruit type 3 times.

If the person in the middle beats them and says “apple apple apple” before
they have finished saying “apple” once, the student who was not quick
enough replaces the person in the middle.

ASSOCIATION WALKING
Students begin This is a great activity for younger students to practice word associations.
to use word Students stand in a straight line. The teacher calls out various words (ice
associations in cream; dinner; Olympics; jungle animals etc...) and the students call out
a fun way
words that they can think of. For every word, students get to take a step.
Instruct students not to take huge steps! When they reach one side of the
room, they can then walk back (if you want to keep playing).

BALL PASS MIME

A good circle In a circle, students pass a mimed ball to each other (only one ball at a time).
activity to
develop Teacher starts the activity, showing the size of the ball. As the game
pantomime progresses, teacher adds in additional instructions and students respond to
skills and the instructions as the game continues, catching and throwing the ball as if it
interaction with has taken on the new characteristics.
mimed objects
• The ball becomes heavier and heavier (until it is really heavy)
• The ball becomes lighter and lighter (until it is really light)
• The ball becomes smaller (until it is tiny) (it may also be light or heavy
and small)
• The ball becomes bigger and bigger (until it is huge) (and light or heavy)
• The ball becomes slippery

Drama Trunk ‘Free Drama Games and Activities for Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 2’ Page 3
 • The ball becomes sticky
• The ball becomes hotter / colder
• The ball becomes spiky
• The ball becomes fragrant

Check out Drama Trunk MAGIC BOX for more mime activities!

BODY HIDE
A fun team In groups of 5 – 6, students must ‘hide’ one of the group members with their
building activity
bodies. The teacher and audience try to see pieces of the hidden person
(shoes, an ear etc) and call out what they can see as the group adapts to hide
the whole person.

Extension: When the group succeeds, remove a person so they have to hide the
person with 4, 3, 2 students.

CAPTAIN’S COMING
A classic A classic game that is always lots of fun and a great way to get students
children’s game energised. As the teacher calls out instructions, students react and the last
that is always student to do so is out (and becomes a judge).
loads of fun.
Directions:
Great to play CAPTAIN’S COMING: stand up straight, salute and say “yes sir”
before SCRUB THE DECKS: on the ground making scrubbing actions
rehearsal of a HIT THE DECKS: Lying flat on the ground
play to get
students MAN OVERBOARD: In pairs, one student is drowning calling “help help” and
listening and the other student throws them a rescue rope and reels them in
using their SHARK ATTACK: hands in the air screaming and running in circles
bodies OCTOPUS: In pairs one person stands behind another and both wave their
arms out to the side

You can also add in PORT (left) STARBOARD (right) BOW (front) STERN (back)
and have students run to a section of the floor. The last one to get to that
section is out.

DRAMA FREEZES
Practice “drama The ability to FREEZE is vital to drama activities. Practice the following drama
freezes” freezes before doing your drama activities. Count students in 1,2,3 to show
the following:
Create
characters and • You have just seen superman flying in the sky
situations • You have just been splashed with mud
• You are pointing to something interesting
• You have a stomach ache

Drama Trunk ‘Free Drama Games and Activities for Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 2’ Page 4
 • You are modelling for a photo shoot
• You are being chased by a lion
• You are in the middle of a big dance move
• You are about to crash into something
• You are looking up at a giant
• You are getting dressed
• You are eating messy spaghetti
• You just stubbed your toe
• You are singing in the shower

Or try these character freezes:

• Zombie
• Pirate
• Witch / Wizard
• Teacher
• Superhero
• Burglar
• Frog / Cat / Dog etc...

Extension: “Freeze and Go”. Ask students to create a freeze and count them
in to ACTION. On ACTION, students have to walk, move and talk or make
sounds like the character or in reaction to the situation.

Check out Drama Trunk DRAMA CARDS for hundreds of

character ideas + more drama activities!

For more character activities, try DRAMA TRUNK Character

Machines!

DRAMA SCARECROW TAG

A drama twist Like scarecrow tag but with drama freezes. You may like to start with the
to the classic
game classic version to remind students how to play. You can also practice doing
scarecrow tag. some “drama freezes” before you begin (see above activity ‘drama freezes’).

Practice One person (or more) is “IT” and must try and catch the other class
dramatic poses members. When a student is “tagged” they must freeze in an interesting
in a fun way drama pose (they may like to use one of the drama freezes they have already
practiced or come up with their own). Other students in the game must try
and “un-freeze” the students who are frozen by copying their drama freeze.
They must stand directly in front of the frozen person when copying the
freeze and try not to be tagged by the person who is “IT” themselves
(otherwise they have to drama freeze as well).

For more original drama activities, check out DRAMA TRUNK!

Drama Trunk ‘Free Drama Games and Activities for Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 2’ Page 5
 EXAGGERATION CIRCLE
Students Students stand in a circle. The aim of this game is to create exaggerated
practice gestures. The teacher starts the game by doing a simple gesture. The next
exaggerated student in the circle must make the gesture a little more exaggerated.
gestures
Students continue around the circle, making the gesture more and more
exaggerated until it is completely over the top. Students should focus on
exaggerating the gesture, not changing it completely!
Extension: add a sound to the gesture.

GIANTS, KNIGHTS AND WIZARDS

A really fun In a circle, teach and practice 3 actions/sounds
adaptation of
“rock paper GIANTS: stamp their feet with their arms in the air and say “fee fi fo fum”
scissors” KNIGHTS: draw their swords and say “en guard”
encouraging WIZARDS: throw both arms forward as if throwing a spell and say “shazaam”
group ethos
Split the class into 2 even sized groups. The groups must stand far enough
away from each other to secretly decide as a group whether they will
become goblins, giants or wizards. Once they have decided (you can give
them a short period to decide) the groups stand opposite each other. The
teacher counts the groups in 1, 2, 3 and on 3 they must do the action/sound
as a group.
Instruct students that:
Goblins beat Giants
Giants beat Wizards
Wizards beat Goblins
After they have completed the whole action/sound, the losing team must run
back to their line before the winning team members catch them. Any losing
team member caught by the other team becomes part of the new team. Play
until all players are on one team only.

GOOD AFTERNOON, YOUR MAJESTY

A good whole Teacher chooses one student to “sit on a throne” which faces away from the
group game to rest of the class (you might give them a crown as King /Queen).
encourage
students to use Teacher chooses a “servant” from the class by pointing to them. Make sure
their voices in no one gives away who has been chosen. The servant creeps up behind the
interesting King/Queen and says:
ways
“Good Afternoon, Your Majesty” in a silly voice.
Teacher may The King/Queen has to try and guess who the servant is. You may like to give
practice some
students up to 3 guesses. If the King/Queen guesses, give them a round of
“silly voices”
before starting applause and congratulate “Your Majesty”.

Drama Trunk ‘Free Drama Games and Activities for Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 2’ Page 6
 the game Take it in turns to be King/Queen or servant. It may take some practice to
master silly voices but they will love the game when they master it.

GROUP FREEZE
A concentration Students and teacher walk around the space. As soon as the teacher stops
game that
focuses walking, students must “freeze”. See how quickly the group can freeze.
students on
Extension: Instead of the teacher, any student (or a secretly allocated)
their surrounds
student can stop, prompting everyone else to freeze.

LAP, LAP, CLAP, SNAP

An great Students sit in a circle. All students say their name around the circle.
activity to learn Demonstrate and practice the rhythm with actions.
names and
practice rhythm Say: “Lap Lap Clap Snap”
Actions:
Lap Lap – students slap their thighs twice in time with the rhythm
Clap – clap hands once
Snap – clicking fingers once with both hands
Practice the rhythm with actions until the class has mastered it. Now switch
the word “snap” with student names. Students continue the pattern.
Example:
TEACHER: Lap Lap Clap Michael
MICHAEL: Lap Lap Clap Harry
HARRY: Lap Lap Clap Juliette
JULIETTE: Lap Lap Clap Eva
Extension: Speed up the rhythm and start eliminating students who miss the rhythm

LOCATION FREEZE
Students use Teacher explains that a “frozen tableaux” is a frozen picture or postcard that
their the students will make to show the class a location or setting. Students will
imagination to be directed to get up one at a time and think of something or someone that
create frozen
would be in a location.
“tableaux” that
depict locationsThe teacher prompts students to create a “tableaux” or “frozen picture” with
around 5 or 6 students, getting input from the class about what characters /
Students accept things they might find in the location.
“offers” made
by other
students and Example:
explore The scene is in a HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM: Teacher asks students to
imagery think of characters they might find in a hospital waiting room. Teacher
encourages students to interact with each other and to complement other

Drama Trunk ‘Free Drama Games and Activities for Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 2’ Page 7
 Students learn freezes.
the drama • Doctor – teacher asks one student to hop onto the stage and show a
technique of freeze like a doctor doing something in the scene. The doctor might be
‘tableaux’
reading a chart or examining a patient.
• Nurse – teacher directs a student to take a freeze as a nurse, thinking
about what the nurse might be doing. The nurse might take a freeze like
they are talking to the doctor or perhaps the nurse is at the nurses desk.
• Patient – teacher directs a student to take a freeze as a patient. Perhaps
they become the patient who is being examined by the doctor. The
patient might hold their leg as if it were broken.
• Parent – teacher directs a student to take a freeze as the parent of the
patient. Perhaps they put their arm on the shoulder of the patient or
freeze like they are asking the doctor or nurse a question.
• Paramedic – teacher directs a student to take a freeze as a paramedic.
Perhaps they are wheeling in a stretcher bed with another patient they
just picked up in the ambulance.
• Patient on Stretcher - Encourage students to interact in the scene and
work with the existing tableaux. As the last freeze was a paramedic
wheeling a patient in, encourage a student to become that patient.
Try different locations and create multiple frozen pictures! You can have as
little or as many students as you like in the tableaux.
Extension: Have students come up with 1 line to say as their character. Once
the frozen picture is complete, prompt the students to take it in turns to say
their line.
Check out Drama Trunk LOCATION (SETTINGS) Drama Cards for
location ideas or try OLYMPIC EVENTS for more activities!

MINEFIELD (BLINDFOLDED LEAD ACTIVITY)

A trust building Teacher sets up a minefield by scattering objects over the floor (books, bags,
activity that pencils, scrunched up paper etc... nothing dangerous of course). Students
also helps may like to help setting up the obstacle course. You can call the objects
students with
“mines”.
listening to and
giving ‘stage In pairs, students will direct their blindfolded partner around the minefield
directions’ using “stage directions” (so voices only). They should try to get from one side
of the room to another without touching any mines. If there are too many
students to do this at the same time, split the class into groups and have the
others form an audience. Ask students to listen for “good stage directions”.
Alternative: The whole class directs one blindfolded student through the
obstacle course, taking it in turns to say one command each.
Teacher may need to prompt students with example commands:
Take 4 small steps forward
Take 1 large step to your right
Extension: Students have to sit down if they step on something.

Drama Trunk ‘Free Drama Games and Activities for Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 2’ Page 8
 Note: older students can be introduced to proper stage directions through
this game (2 steps stage right, 3 steps stage left etc... but younger students
should just practice giving and receiving commands).

MIRROR
A good focus Students must face a partner and “mirror” their actions. Encourage the
activity which
also acts as a leader to do big and slow movements and switch around so that everybody
gentle physical has a turn leading. Prompt students to use their faces (do funny faces in slow
warm up motion) and to use every part of their body. Teacher can give an example of
large movements for inspiration or call out different actions (like ‘do a big
sweeping movement with your legs’ ‘lift both of your arms in the air and
shake them around’ ‘crouch to the ground and get up slowly doing a funny
face’).

Check out Drama Trunk DRAMA SHOES for more movement

activities!

OBJECTS (LIVING PICTURES)

Students work Teacher explains that students must use their bodies to create objects. In
together to small groups (3-4) students work together to become different parts of
create shapes objects. For example, teacher calls out “roast dinner” and one student
with their
bodies becomes a carrot (lying out long and straight), one student becomes the
plate (making a circle body shape around the carrot) one student becomes
Develop the roast potatoes (crouching) and one student becomes the meat (making a
pantomime meat shape).
skills Encourage students to think creatively and tell them that there are no wrong
ways to create the objects as long as they are working together.
• Give students a timeframe and count down while they are creating the
freezes
• Provide individual group prompting as the groups create their freezes
Example objects: Shoe; Kite; Car; Lamp; Octopus
Extension: add in sounds and repetitive movement
Check out Drama Trunk LIVING PICTURES Drama Cards for more
pantomime ideas and activities!

OCTOPUS
Not a drama One student is the octopus.
game but a fun
game to play (if The octopus stands in the middle of the space in front of the rest of the class
there is enough
who should be lined up in a straight line.
space) to get

Drama Trunk ‘Free Drama Games and Activities for Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 2’ Page 9
 students When the octopus calls out “OCTOPUS” the class has to run across the space
warmed up or to get to the other side. The octopus tries to tag as many people as possible.
to round off a
drama lesson
When someone is tagged they must stand still on the spot with their arms
out waving. They are now “seaweed” and will try and tag people as they run
across (without moving). The seaweed can turn around to face the line of
students before they run but are not allowed to move their feet to tag
students as they run past.

The winner is the last person to be tagged.

QUICK-CHANGE ARTIST
Develop One student becomes the “quick change artist” and stands in front of the
observation
skills class showing off their different angles. The quick-change artist then leaves
the room and changes something noticeable about themselves (puts their
hair up, undoes a button, switches left and right shoes etc...). The quick-
change artist then comes back inside and stands at the front while the
audience tries to guess the change. The first student to guess the change
becomes the next quick-change artist.

PRESENTS
A creative Before you begin, practice miming opening a present with the students
activity to
practice showing how to mime taking the paper off and opening the flaps of a box.
pantomime In pairs, one student hands another student an imaginary present. Their
skills and
develop partner takes the box and opens it and pulls out something that they have
improvisations always wanted. The student says (in a loud and excited voice)
skills
“I’ve always wanted a ..........”
Students think
about objects And interacts briefly with the object, showing its size, how it works, how
and how to heavy it is, miming the shape and talking about how they are using it.
represent them Encourage loud voices.

This activity should be done quickly. Switch the students around a few times
so they have a few goes each of giving and receiving presents.
Check out Drama Trunk MAGIC BOX and DRAMA SHOES for
more mime ideas!

RECEIVER RIGHT CLAP

A good and In a circle, students throw a “clap” to any other player by clapping both
energetic focus hands together in a forward motion towards the person they are throwing
activity

Drama Trunk ‘Free Drama Games and Activities for Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 2’ Page 10
 the clap to. As well as the clap noise, the student sending the clap makes a
“whoosh” sound. The student receiving the clap makes a “sucking” sound as
they pull the clap to their chests (with both hands). The receiver then throws
the clap to someone else. Make the game faster and faster as students get
the hang of it.

Extension: Instead of the receiver throwing the next clap, ask the person on
the right or left of the receiver to throw the next clap after the receiver has
received it.

STRING OBJECTS
Students work You will need a long piece of string for this activity.
together to Students take hold of the string with both hands and hold it at around waste
create shapes level. Explain to students that they must work as a group to create the
shapes you call out with the string (i.e. circle, square, triangle).
Encourages
group • You can also split the class into groups and see who creates the shape
communication first.
• Ask students to try and make shapes without any sound or with their
eyes closed

THIS IS MY FRIEND
A great “get to Teacher splits class into pairs and tells the class that they only have “1
know you” minute” to do this activity (this will prompt students to think quickly and
activity because it is short, the quieter students will feel more confident as they
Students know they don’t have to talk for a long time).
practice talking In just 1 minute, one partner must tell the other as many things about
to each other themselves as possible. The teacher may prompt this before students begin
and presenting with some examples of things that they may talk about. Teacher tells
information to
the whole class students that once they are finished talking for 1 minute, their partner is
going to introduce them to the class and tell the class a few things about
them.
Example prompt questions:
• What is your favourite food?
• Do you have any pets?
• Do you have any siblings?
• What do you love to do (hobbies)?
• What was your last teacher’s name?
• What did you do on your last birthday?
• Name some things that you love.
Once the students understand the activity and have been given some
prompts, teacher counts the first student in and says ACTION. Teacher walks
around and encourages / helps students.

Drama Trunk ‘Free Drama Games and Activities for Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 2’ Page 11
 Once a minute is up, the teacher asks their partners to tell the class 2 – 3
things about their new friend. The class may sit down for this. Now, switch
over so that everyone has a turn to introduce a new friend.

TOUCH THE COLOUR

Not a drama Teacher calls out different colours and students must find something in the
game but a
really fun warm space which is that colour and “touch it”.
up activity to
• Can add the instruction that students are not allowed to touch each other
get the class
moving (although I never have)
• Can eliminate the last student to find something
Familiarise a • Can repeat colours but tell students they are not allowed to touch the
new space same coloured thing more than once

Check out Drama Trunk DRAMA COLOURS for more drama

activities based on colours!

TRAFFIC LIGHTS
A fun little Students walk around the room and following the cues that the teacher calls
warm up game out. The last student to act is out and sits down. Students that are out may
to get students like to help the teacher and spot the last students to act. When students
up and moving
and listening to have the hang of it, it’s fun to call out the same cue 2 or more times in a row
instructions and catch students who move, stop etc...

Can be played RED – Students stop still with both feet on the ground
quickly
YELLOW – Students stand with one foot in the air

GREEN – Students walk around the space

Optional: OTHER COLOUR (either have just one other colour (i.e. purple) or
when the teacher calls out any colour other than red, yellow or green) –
students must wave their arms and do a little dance.

WHO’S GOT THE KEYS TO THE CASTLE?

A favourite One student stands at the front with their back turned to the rest of the
game for this class. The rest of the class sit quietly in a huddle in front of the teacher. The
age group teacher quietly chooses one student to have the “keys” and quietly hands
Sit down game that student the keys. The student with the keys gives them a jingle and all of
the students put their hands behind their backs and pretend that they have
Practice drama them.
voices and Students are instructed to look “as guilty as possible” so that the student at
facial
the front thinks that they have the keys.

Drama Trunk ‘Free Drama Games and Activities for Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 2’ Page 12
 expressions
Students are also given a character voice to say the following line 3 times
(e.g. witch, ghost, pop singer, mouse, giant) when the student at the front
turns around (this is practicing character voices). Each time they say the line,
it gets a little louder (practicing volume).
When the student at the front turns around, the class says (3 times all
together):
“Who’s got the keys to the castle?”
The student at the front has 3 guesses to guess who has the keys. As the
student guesses students, they reveal their hands to either have the keys or
be empty.
Students may also like to suggest what character voices to use.
Check out Drama Trunk CHARACTER and QUIRKY CHARACTER
Drama Cards for hundreds of character ideas!

YES, LETS!
A classic drama Teacher explains that in this game, the most important thing is that you
game teaching accept “offers” made by everyone to do an activity and puts lots of energy
students to into acting out the activity, using your voice and actions.
accept offers
The teacher prompts students to find their own space in the room and
Students use practices some actions. When the teacher says “Let’s ...activity....” the class
movement, must all say “Yes, Lets” loudly and then start acting out that activity.
gesture and
voices Example:
The teacher calls out “Let’s dig a hole” and the class says “Yes, lets!” and
Students start acting out digging a hole. The teacher should join in with the actions
practice and saying “yes, lets”. Students can add dialogue and sounds but don’t push
improvisation this until they are more comfortable.
and responding
Let’s: Drive a car / Ride a horse / Skip around the class / Brush our hair /
Catch a butterfly / Tell a naughty child off
The teacher should encourage a very loud and enthusiastic “Yes, ,lets!” which
will impact the energy the students put into acting out the activities.
Students may also be prompted to loudly suggest their own “Lets...” activity
that the rest of the class will then follow.

TERMS OF USE
Please note that this product is for personal classroom or home school use by a single purchaser
only. You may not distribute, copy or modify this product other than for your own personal
classroom use.
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Graphics Credit:

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